Well, I know you probably don’t trust Fox News, but they had an interesting story on their site yesterday regarding the altering by scientists of climate change temperature data. The cities were warmer, so they adjusted the countryside’s data to comply with their hypothesis.

It’s an interesting article but it seems to be based mostly on what one scientist (Spencer) says vs. the majority of the scientific community. Yes, they disagree about whether it was hotter by half a degree or a full degree, but they all seem to agree it was hotter. I don’t think different approaches to data analysis mean failure to adhere to the scientific method; I think it means good adherence to the scientific method — testing and analyzing the data in many different ways.

Here in frigid Michigan it was a rainy 54 yesterday, melting all our meager snow cover. Today the rain stopped and the high went up to 60. It’s entirely because we are firm believers in global warming!

Got it down here, too. Pipes bursting all over the city since most homes do not insulate them when building. It just normally does not get this cold for this many days. And drafty!!! Homes are made horribly here. I’m used to tight, draft-proof homes back north.

Apparently homes here are pretty well insulated. The meteorologists don’t harp endlessly about disconnecting hoses, covering outside faucets, leaving indoor faucets dripping and cabinet doors open — like they did in Oklahoma. Here they never mention it. I assume that means freezing pipes are not that big a concern, but when it’s this cold, I do all those things anyway. At worst it means a slight increase in my water bill.

Our news teams are so pathetic. Occasionally, they mention letting faucets drip and open the doors until the sinks, etc. After she gave all the instructions on how to help keep pipes from freezing, one reporter commented that this was the first time she’d ever heard to do this.

No, this reporter had been here for a while. They’re pretty bad here. I know the director for the International Balloon Fiesta and he invited me for a ride one Saturday, which also happened to be media day. So various reporters showed up, and camera crew. I flew with my friend and there were two others with us, one being a local reporter and her cameraman. This lady had been reporting for many years now.

So we go up, float along, very nice flight. We started at the Balloon Fiesta Park and the winds carried us over the Rio Grande to the west mesa. When landing this reporter asked “We don’t land where we take off?” OMG, it was all I could do to keep from laughing out loud. Without missing a beat, my pilot friend replied,”Nope this is a one-way trip only.”

Now, I know she’s reported this event many times – I’ve seen her report it. Mass amount of balloons lift up from the park. Depending upon the winds, they may go over the city, over the west mesa, of, if luck and the box affect is working, then they’ll float back close to wear the started… somewhere in the north desert (but they’re not allowed to land on pueblo land…. which is most of the land north of the city).

She’s reported on balloons landing and getting caught in power lines, and other stuff.

After than when I’ve watched her, she has said some very stupid, ignorant statement.

Heh, I didn’t know those balloons were ever able to land anywhere near where they launched. My flight was just a long straight line. Stupid reporter. And yet she was probably assigned to the story because she’d covered the festival before and they figured she was experienced. For years I wanted to get to the festival and somehow get a ride, but then I finally had a chance to do it up here one summer.

When the “box effect” is occurring, then it is possible to land back in the Balloon Fiesta park, but it’s rare to land there. More commonly during the box, they’re just able to land close the field where there is a lot more open land to use.

“I cannot be an optimist but I am a prisoner of hope.” ~ Cornel West Cancel reply

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